Slovak matters
Slovak matters is a column devoted to helping ex-pats and foreigners understand the beautiful but difficult Slovak language.
Let it swim
Leave your cares on the shores of the Slovak sea.
Light the Slovak fire
Opekačkas are a quintessential Slovak summer experience, despite burns, mosquitos, and smoke.
Don’t get the wolf!
Fresh air, wet hikes, and a mystery illness.
Don’t you want to?
Regarding terrible Slovak phrases that may please you.
From ‘You’re a champ’ to ‘You saved my life’: A Slovak guide to saying something nice
Compliments can take you a long way in life.
Music in the veins
What to say when someone is bossy or blabs everything, inspired by music.
Kidnapping and virginity: brace yourself for a Slovak wedding
Some of the more traditional wedding rituals seem shocking today.
Dialects: You say potatoes, I say grule...or švábky?
Around Košice, asking for a pipka will get you a pipe but elsewhere might get you a smack.
You say nazdar, I say dovi
From ships to Latin, Slovak's greeting vocabulary is rich and broad.
How to get out of a conversation in a hurry
You might be jammed, whistling, or falling, preferably without a parachute.
Slovak romance: What to say when flirting, dating, or dumping
In Slovakia, you don’t just flirt – you "hook" (zháčiť) or "pack" (zbaliť). Here’s the slang you need to play the game – or decode it.
A Spanish bird made of beef
If you get hangry, you probably feel like a wolf when hungry.
Strong as a beech, thin as a poplar
Trees provide a rich background for all kinds of Slovak sayings.
Honey on the tongue, poison in the heart
Hopefully powerful politicians learn that the handle will eventually fall off the water jug.
What to make of mak
What to do when you don't like a beloved Slovak ingredient?
Slovník is its own reward
Reading the dictionary is also funny.
Mikuláš or the Devil: Were you obedient?
In Slovakia, Mikuláš isn't just a jolly old fellow.
Vivat Slovakia: A language guide to independence
Written over 20 years ago, this article is surprisingly relevant to politics still today.
Slovak Matters: Slovak cooking lingo
Mixing up cesto (dough) and cesta (road/way/journey) may cause confused faces around you.
Slovak Matters: Sick as a dog, or under the dog?
The social aspect of being sick has changed since the pandemic, but the language is the same.
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